Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Not content with winning an Oscar for his transformative performance as 'Stephen Hawking' in The Theory of Everything, or landing the leading role of 'Newt Scamander' in J.K. Rowling's new Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them fantasy film franchise, in Eddie Redmayne's latest movie he stars as Danish transgender pioneer 'Lili Elbe'.

The Danish Girl movie costume exhibit

This trio of costumes from The Danish Girl, which is set in the early 1920s, was photographed on display at ArcLight Hollywood cinema to help promote the film on November 17, 2015.

The Danish Girl movie poster

This biographical drama was directed by Tom Hooper and based on the 2000 novel of the same name by David Ebershoff, with Costume Design by Paco Delgado. You can see more of hisOscar-nominated Les Misérables movie costumes on this blog, including Eddie Redmayne's 'Marius' costume.

Costumes worn by Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe

in The Danish Girl

Inspired by true events, the film is set in early 1920s Copenhagen where 'Einar Wegener' (Eddie Redmayne) is asked by his artist wife, 'Gerda Wegener' (Alicia Vikander), to stand in for a female model. The popularity of the painting leads Gerda to paint further pictures of her husband as a woman and over time he develops an affinity for his female appearance and starts living as a woman named 'Lili Elbe'.

Costume worn by Alicia Vikander as Gerda Wegener

in The Danish Girl

Lili becomes the first recipient of male to female sex reassignment surgery, supported by his wife, although their marriage becomes strained by the realisation that Lili is no longer the person she married, complicated further when a childhood friend appears and a complex love triangle is formed.

Costume worn by Amber Heard as Oola Paulson

in The Danish Girl

In the movie Amber Heard plays their vibrant ballet dancer friend named 'Oola Paulson' and wears this golden outfit.

It's great to see more diversity in the films and stories that Hollywoodland is producing, and this movie adaptation is certainly very timely with progress, visibility and equality issues for the transgender community never having been so prominent in the public arena. I for one can't wait to see Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl.